Background: Nanotechnology has emerged as a pivotal domain in material science research with extensive applications across various sectors including biotechnology and medicine. Nanoparticles offer unique properties facilitating advancements in nanobiotechnology, particularly in nanomedicine, to combat bacterial infections and antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to determine the application of nanoparticles, specifically nano-TiO2, in treating plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Method: We evaluated antibiotic and nanomaterial sensitivity through disc diffusion and broth microdilution assays. Plasmid curing experiments were conducted using varying concentrations of nano-TiO2 and SDS as curing agents, followed by plasmid isolation and DNA extraction. The efficacy of nano-TiO2 in plasmid curing and DNA extraction was assessed, alongside the impact on bacterial growth and antibiotic resistance. Results: Results showed successful plasmid elimination with nano-TiO2 treatment, evidenced by the loss of plasmid DNA bands. Additionally, nano-TiO2 substantially enhanced DNA extraction efficiency and quality. The study indicated nano-TiO2's potential in combating antibiotic resistance by targeting plasmids, thereby presenting a novel approach in molecular biology techniques. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study underscores the promising role of nanoparticles in addressing bacterial infections and combating antibiotic resistance. Nano-TiO2 emerges as a valuable tool in DNA purification and plasmid curing, offering new avenues in molecular biology and antibiotic resistance research. However, further investigations are warranted to elucidate the broader implications of nanoparticles across diverse bacterial species and strains. These findings represent a significant step towards harnessing the potential of nanotechnology in combating antimicrobial resistance and advancing healthcare paradigms.
Objectives: This study aims to broaden our knowledge of the role of eDNA in bacterial biofilms and antibiotic-resistance gene transfer among isolates. Methods: Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated from different non-repeated 170 specimens. The bacterial isolates were identified using morphological and molecular methods. Different concentrations of genomic DNA were tested for their potential role in biofilms formed by study isolates employing microtiter plate assay. Ciprofloxacin resistance was identified by detecting a mutation in gyrA and parC. Results: The biofilm intensity significantly decreased (P < 0.05) concerning S. aureus isolates and insignificantly (P > 0.05) concernin
... Show MoreInhalation of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) is known to induce acute lung injury (ALI) and studies from our laboratory have shown that THC, a psychoactive ingredient found in Cannabis sativa, can attenuate the ALI. In the current study, we investigated the role played by lung microbiota in ALI with or without THC treatment. A dual-dose of SEB was given to C3H/HeJ mice, which were then treated either with vehicle or THC. SEB-administration caused ALI and 100% mortality while all THC-treated mice survived and suppressed the inflammation in the lungs. Furthermore, lung microbiota was collected and 16S rRNA sequencing was performed. The data were analyzed to determine the alpha and b
Rate of zinc consumption during the cathodic protection of copper pipeline which carries saline water was measured by weight loss technique in the absence and presence of bacteria. Variables studied were solution flow rate, temperature, time and NaCl concentration. It was found that within the present range of variables; the rate of zinc consumption increases with the increase of all operating conditions. The presence of bacteria increases the zinc consumption. Fourth order multi-term model and one-term model were suggested to represent the consumption data. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to estimate the coefficients of these models, while statistical analysis was used to determine the effect of each coefficient. Both models were re
... Show MoreThe production of polyhydroxyalkanoates PHAs from biopolymer degrading bacteria was examined
Identification of pathogens and locating their inocul¬um source (S) are the first strategies toward successful disease management program the pretransplating seedl¬ing damping - off problem on vegetable crops was found to be caused by Pythium aphanidermatum and Rhizocto¬nia solani. Both fungi were isolated from peat (moss) for the first time in Iraq. In addition, considerable num¬ber of pathogenic fungi was found as contaminants in soil samples from Alrashidiah vegetable covered farming station. Among the isolated fungi were: Pythium apha¬nidermatum, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani phialophora spp., Cephalisporium spp Rizopus stolonfier and Botrytis cine¬rea, in addition to several
... Show MoreBackground: During Ramadan, Muslims fast throughout daylight hours. There is a direct link between fasting and increasing incidence of infections. Antibiotic usage for treatment of infections should be based on accurate diagnosis, with the correct dose and dosing regimen for the shortest period to avoid bacterial resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the practices of physicians in prescribing suitable antibiotics for fasting patients and the compliance of the patients in using such antibiotics at regular intervals. Materials and methods: An observational study was carried out during the middle 10 days of Ramadan 2014 in two pharmacies at Baghdad. A total of 34 prescriptions (Rx) for adults who suffered from infections were examined. For
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Leuconostoc bacteria was isolated from local pickled cabbage (Brassica oleracea capitata) and identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides by morphology,biochemical and physiological. The local isolated L. mesenteroides bacteria under the optimal conditions of dextran production showed that, the highly production of dextran was 7.7g achieved by using a modified natural media comprised of 100ml whey, 10g refined sugar, 0.5g heated yeast extract, 0.01g CaCl2, 0.001g MgSO4, 0.001g MnCl2 and 0.001g NaCl at pH 6 and 25̊C for 24 hr of fermentation and by using 1ᵡ106 cell/ml as initial inoculums volume. Some applications in food technology (Ice cream, Loaf, Ketchup and Beef preservation) have been performed with processed dextran. The result
Al-Yusifia river was assessed at three sampling stations with study period from Autumn 2010 to the end of Summer 2011. The present investigation was carried out on diversity of fungi and bacteria from Al-Yusifia river, Baghdad city. During the study, a total of 12 fungal genus and 6 bacterial genus were isolated during the year seasons. The dominant fungus at the three stations were Penicillium sp., then Rhizopus and Trichophyton megninii while the dominant bacteria was Escherichia coli and Klebsiella sp.
The higher
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